System for monitoring lobby activity to determine whether to cancel elevator service

Abstract

Disclosed is an elevator system in a building, the elevator system including a first elevator car for transporting a passenger between a plurality of building levels, the system including a controller that controls the elevator car, the controller: rendering a first determination that the passenger has requested elevator service from the first lobby, rendering a second determination to assign the elevator car to provide service to the passenger at a first lobby for the first level, effecting a first transmission to the elevator car to effect the second determination, rendering a third determination that the first lobby becomes unoccupied in a time period between effecting the first transmission and the elevator arriving at the first lobby for servicing the first passenger, rendering a fourth determination to release the elevator car from effecting the second determination, and effecting a second transmission to the elevator car to effect the fourth determination.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An elevator system in a building with a plurality of lobbies and a respective plurality of levels, including a first level that includes a first lobby, elevator system including a first elevator car for transporting a passenger between the plurality of levels,
 the system comprising a controller that controls the first elevator car, 
 the controller being configured to render a plurality of determinations and effect a plurality of transmissions including:
 a first determination that the passenger has requested elevator service from the first lobby, 
 a second determination to assign the elevator car to provide service to the passenger at the first lobby, 
 a first transmission to the first elevator car to effect the second determination, and 
 a third determination that the first lobby becomes unoccupied in a time period between effecting the first transmission and the elevator arriving at the first lobby for servicing the first passenger, 
 a fourth determination to release the first elevator car from effecting the second determination, and 
 a second transmission to the first elevator car to effect the third determination; and 
 
 wherein the first lobby includes a first entryway, wherein when rendering the third determination the controller processes the real time data from the sensor to determine whether the passenger exits the first lobby through the first entryway; 
 the system comprises a plurality of elevators including the first elevator car and a second elevator car, the plurality of elevators configured to transport the passenger from between the plurality of lobbies, including the first lobby, and wherein when rendering the third determination the controller processes the real time data to determine whether the passenger enters the second elevator car; and 
 the system comprises an elevator control panel disposed in the first lobby and the controller renders the first determination upon receiving user input through the elevator control panel. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1  comprising a sensor operationally connected to the controller, wherein when effecting the third determination the controller receives data from the sensor indicative of the sensor failing to detect the first passenger in the first lobby in the first period of time. 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 2  wherein the sensor transmits to the controller real time data to the controller during the first period time, whereby the controller effects the third determination. 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 3  wherein the sensor is one or more of a thermal sensor and a motion sensor. 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 1  wherein the controller analyzes the senor data to determine whether engagement of the elevator control panel is indicative of an alert condition. 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 5  comprising a building management system (BMS) and the controller transmits an occurrence of an alert condition to the BMS. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6  wherein the controller communicates with the BMS over a wireless network. 
     
     
       8. A method of operating an elevator system in a building with a plurality of lobbies and a respective plurality of levels, including a first level that includes a first lobby, elevator system including a first elevator car for transporting a passenger between the plurality of levels, the system including a controller that controls the first elevator car,
 the method including the controller rendering a plurality of determinations and effecting a plurality of transmissions including:
 a first determination that the passenger has requested elevator service from the first lobby, 
 a second determination to assign the elevator car to provide service to the passenger at the first lobby, 
 a first transmission to the first elevator car to effect the second determination, and 
 a third determination that the first lobby becomes unoccupied in a time period between effecting the first transmission and the elevator arriving at the first lobby for servicing the first passenger, 
 a fourth determination to release the first elevator car from effecting the second determination, and 
 a second transmission to the first elevator car to effect the third determination; and 
 
 wherein the first lobby includes a first entryway, wherein when rendering the third determination the controller processes the real time data from the sensor to determine whether the passenger exits the first lobby through the first entryway; 
 the system comprises a plurality of elevators including the first elevator car and a second elevator car, the plurality of elevators configured to transport the passenger from between the plurality of lobbies, including the first lobby, and wherein when rendering the third determination the controller processes the real time data to determine whether the passenger enters the second elevator car; and 
 the system comprises an elevator control panel disposed in the first lobby and the controller renders the first determination upon receiving user input through the elevator control panel. 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 8  comprising a sensor operationally connected to the controller, wherein when effecting the third determination the controller receives data from the sensor indicative of the sensor failing to detect the first passenger in the first lobby in the first period of time. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  wherein the sensor transmits to the controller real time data to the controller during the first period time, whereby the controller effects the third determination. 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 10  wherein the sensor is one or more of a thermal sensor and a motion sensor. 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 8  wherein the controller analyzes the senor data to determine whether engagement of the elevator control panel is indicative of an alert condition. 
     
     
       13. The method of  claim 12  comprising a building management system (BMS) and the controller transmits an occurrence of an alert condition to the BMS. 
     
     
       14. The method of  claim 13  wherein the controller communicates with the BMS over a wireless network.